IS MEATLOAF DEAD ?????

IS MEATLOAF DEAD ?????

I wonder if the foods of the past are becoming a fond memory. I talk to a lot of people that eat out at least twice a week. I talk with others that can't even cook and depend on prepared foods, heat and serve or throw a steak on the grill. Back in the day most of the boys and gals in grammar school had Moms at home to teach them how to cook. Over the last 50 yrs we have seen Moms working helping bring in the second income to keep the family in a middle class style of living. I wonder if the foods of our childhood are going to become a thing of the past. I remember growing up with Spaghetti night, Friday fish fry, homemade soup, roast chicken, veal cutlet, pot roast, meatloaf, homemade spaghetti sauce, all made by Mom in the kitchen. In todays world, with single moms, kids soccer and ballet and after school programs that last until 5PM. Have we lost the homemade family dinner, with hot out of the oven meatloaf, real mashed potatoes and gravy and hot vegetable with fresh made rolls........my question is ???????????? is Meatloaf dead...........................pnwc

No, and I made just about everything you described when my son was growing up as my hours lent me to be the chief cook and bottlewasher. There are many restaurants, including the "hip" that offer meatloaf on their menu. I wasn't then nor am I now a home fish fryer. That we go out for.

I just made meatloaf a couple of weeks ago. What's funny to me about the question is of my married friends who have children, by far the majority of women are stay-at-home moms. Or if they work, it is only part time. Those who do work full time still cook, and while they will hit a drive-through or buy something in a box on occasion, they mostly all make real food from scratch. And as their kids get older, they teach them to cook so they can take over dinner duties from the working parent(s).

I think there was a time when pre-packaged and pre-prepared foods were taking over, but I think it's swinging back the other way. With the advent of all of these food channels and the celebrities on them, as well as the trend of buying local, I think people are becoming a little more conscious of what they eat again. I can't back that up with stats, it's just a general impression I have.

An interesting topic. I still make meatloaf, although my mother would have questioned my sanity if she ever had seen it with a dozen strips of applewood smoked, peppered bacon on top of it. Certain dishes are way beyond what was proper in the 50's and 60's. I won't do a pot roast but I will do a similar prep on braised short ribs. Certain items from then are just not only out of fashion but politically incorrect. We had veal roast, veal breast, veal chops and veal cutlets quite often. Now veal has become PI for a lot of people. I still enjoy making the veal breast on the rare occasion when I can find it at some sort of ethnic market. I think the problem was created a lot by those same people in the 50's and 60's. As things progressed, it was easier to throw a few Swanson's Meatloaf Dinners in the oven than make it at home. Ultimately, meatloaf turned more into a restaurant food than a home made one. Even if we make it, when was the last time any of us invited guests over for meatloaf on a Saturday night?

Not in our house either. We were a 100% eat-in, cook from scratch family with going out to eat a rare treat. Unless my parents insisted & took us out which was an excruciating event, restaurants, prepackaged, or fast food had to have a huge incentive via a promotion, very generous coupons, where it was cheaper then preparing it ourselves or an unusual situation that a normal evening was disrupted by events beyond our control.

We, meaning both my kids and I prepared supper daily not only for us, but for my Dad. Meatloaf was a weekly entree as was Spaghetti and other daily meals including a pizza night. I worked a full day and after picking up the girls, it would be after 5 when we'd get home, yet we managed comfortably. Planning for the week, pre-portioning, flash freezing, rolling over ingredients, and pre-preparation on the weekends and night before made it happen. After grade school, leftovers became part of packed lunches in many cases especially during senior high where they had access to a microwave oven. Ditto for me. With my dad, there was never any such thing as leftovers.

Not much has changed with an empty nest. Even after re-marrying, it's still what we do.

An interesting topic. I still make meatloaf, although my mother would have questioned my sanity if she ever had seen it with a dozen strips of applewood smoked, peppered bacon on top of it. Certain dishes are way beyond what was proper in the 50's and 60's. I won't do a pot roast but I will do a similar prep on braised short ribs. Certain items from then are just not only out of fashion but politically incorrect. We had veal roast, veal breast, veal chops and veal cutlets quite often. Now veal has become PI for a lot of people. I still enjoy making the veal breast on the rare occasion when I can find it at some sort of ethnic market. I think the problem was created a lot by those same people in the 50's and 60's. As things progressed, it was easier to throw a few Swanson's Meatloaf Dinners in the oven than make it at home. Ultimately, meatloaf turned more into a restaurant food than a home made one. Even if we make it, when was the last time any of us invited guests over for meatloaf on a Saturday night?

Hi Ed, I hope you and the new Dogs are doing well.......This isn't really about meatloaf, it's about scratch home made food for the family and if it's still part of our everyday culture as it once was. I braise a lot, I braise for 4 or 5 hrs in the oven. I just love the wonderful flavor of the juices mixing with the vegetables, wine, garlic, fresh herbs and spices, it reminds me of home...................... The meat procssor that ages, cut and wraps my Angus steers also does wholesale veal. He ships to NYC, Chicago or anyplace that has large amounts of Italian restaurants. The veal is (Birth plus one) bull calves. I would bet most people never knew how old the veal is they are eating. The rest of the story..............Good day

I make fantastic meatloaf -- when lleechef allows me in the kitchen. I usually make three at a time, wrapping two of them for storage in the freezer. Back when I used to be able to get into the kitchen whenever I wished I made pot roast, veal marsala, chicken parmigiana, eggplant parmigiana, lasagna, lots of different pasta dishes, and of course, meatballs. I no longer have any interest in making eggplant parmigiana or meatballs. Although I'd have bet the house no one could make eggplant parmigiana or meatballs as delicious as mine I no longer have any interest in making either dish. That's because lleechef's versions are, without question, the very best I've ever eaten. Her meatballs as light, airy, tender and flat-out delicious. Her eggplant parmigiana is a wonder of the world.

Meatloaf is NOT dead! Michael's is much better than mine. On the very rare occasions that our family (grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins) would go out to dinner, my mother and Uncle Bert always got meatloaf. My cousin David and I would get fried shrimp. Meatloaf is not my favorite dinner, but we have it from time to time along with roasted chicken, braised short ribs, lamb shanks, pasta and meatballs........all the old-fashioned comfort foods. We do not eat take-out or frozen stuff.

I definitely make meatloaf at least once a month. Sometimes they are baked in the oven and sometimes done on my Weber grill with a little smoke. On the weekends I try to make at least 2 to 4 meals that can be enjoyed during the week. Most importantly When I food shop on Saturdays I get enough different ingredients that my children can use to make lunches and dinner when I work late. My husband is also a good cook so I guess I'm lucky in that respect. My husband was not feeling good this morning when he came home from work(He works nights) and said he would sure like some soup. I was working 10:30AM until 6:30PM so I had time to start a beef and vegetable soup in my Lodge Dutch oven(it's like a Creuset but a fraction of the cost), I love it . My daughter was home this morning and was able to turn the soup off when I needed it. Sometimes it takes a little forethought but I like the challenge of it and am happy when my family has a good dinner, lunch or breakfast!

I made a meatloaf from scratch yesterday but I did use a package of meatloaf seasoning by McCormick. As for the potatoes we had Bob Evans mashed from the supermarket, Bob can make much tastier mashed potatoes than I, We also had frozen broccoli in a steamer bag. I guess you could say our meal was "semi" homemade.

As pnwchef said in 2 posts, it's not about Meatloaf. That was just his example. He's talking about something more fundamental-----A change in the family lifestyle. That change is causing major shifts in how we live our lives and the impact it has on our family-oriented way of life. Time was when every family sat down to dinner prepared by a stay at home mom and talked to each other. Imagine That!!! They didn't text each other while eating fast food---they actually talked to each other!

I made meatloaf for supper tonight. last night we had pancakes and sausage, night before that home made soup. before that some Spaghetti. We've had chilli, 3 different home made soups, beans and greens, breakfast for dinner, egg sandwiches, casseroles and a pot roast, all in the past month.

We made a family decision 30 years ago that our kids take only ONE extra curricular activity per year. They are NOT into sports and we never encouraged it, we are far more into the arts, drama, painting etc. We go to the library and museums as a family and insist on unstructured playtime outside for at least 2 hours a day. We are raising our grandkids now, but when we were raising our own kids we had the same rules, and I cooked nearly every meal at home. I was fortunate that we were able to allow me to be a SAHM or to only work when the kids were in school ( I was a substitute teacher.) Hubby is a high school social studies teacher.

We don't own a smart phone, I pad or Ipod or lap top. we have one family computer. we have no credit card debt and no car payments. it CAN be done. we have a sit down dinner nearly every night and yeah we ..talk... to each other. If you aren't paying $30 a meal for fast food or premade crap you can spend $ on catholic school tuition and museum memberships..and art supplies.. and fresh fruit all year long.

As pnwchef said in 2 posts, it's not about Meatloaf. That was just his example. He's talking about something more fundamental-----A change in the family lifestyle. That change is causing major shifts in how we live our lives and the impact it has on our family-oriented way of life. Time was when every family sat down to dinner prepared by a stay at home mom and talked to each other. Imagine That!!! They didn't text each other while eating fast food---they actually talked to each other!

As I said before, by far the majority of women I know have chosen to be stay-at-home moms. Dinnertime is for conversation with the family about their day, not watching TV, and phones are not allowed at the table. Of the women I know who work, they also for the most part sit down for dinner with their families...and their husbands also take their turns in the kitchen. What fascinates me is the number of people who are under the impression that only the woman can cook dinner, and it is somehow her fault the family is falling apart because she doesn't always come home from working a full day and make a dinner from scratch for her family. Where is the man in all this? Do men still come home from work and expect their wives to be waiting with a smile, their slippers, a neck rub and a cocktail? Why is it that women are expected to work all day, then come home and feed her family, while men expect to be waited on because they've worked a full day?

Here's a thought...some of the married couples I know have a stay-at-home dad. It works the same way, just opposite gender roles.

As pnwchef said in 2 posts, it's not about Meatloaf. That was just his example. He's talking about something more fundamental-----A change in the family lifestyle. That change is causing major shifts in how we live our lives and the impact it has on our family-oriented way of life. Time was when every family sat down to dinner prepared by a stay at home mom and talked to each other. Imagine That!!! They didn't text each other while eating fast food---they actually talked to each other!

Spot on my friend.........

Felix, your missing the point, the family has changed. Going back in the 50's and 60's most of the men worked and the wife stayed home and took care of the home and kids. Things happened along the way, the families needs increased, therefor Mom went to work. The price we paid for the extra income and better lifestyle was, the old way of life suffered. Kids now get home at 5PM, mom and dad are getting home about that time. The kids have sports, music and other outside activities that keep the family out of the house later into the evening, leaving the home unattended. We paid a big price when Mom went to work, it was the beginning of the end of home cooked meals, time spent with family at the dinner table. That was my question, is the Meatloaf dead ???????? I feel we have lost many of our family values, home cooked meals being one of them. I talk with many people who can't even cook. I don't know what the heck these people eat, but I bet the freezer section, fast food drive up windows and pizza delivery are in the mix. I guess what we thought was giving our families more, was actually giving them less........................pnwc

I actually am not missing the point, unless by repeatedly posting that most women I know who have children are stay-at-home moms who cook, and those who work also cook, I am missing your point. Rarely does anyone I know use a boxed dinner, or fast food (most of them use fast food as a treat, or something their kids get for a special occasion). Most of the time, meals are cooked at home, from scratch, and everyone sits down to eat together without a TV or phones, talking to one another.

I'm not sure who "we" is, exactly, but family values such as eating real food together as a family are not lost in my circle.

I don't ever remember NOT sitting at the dining room table with my mother and father and having a home-cooked meal. When I was about 10 years old my mother went to work.....as our church secretary. She often got up and baked a pie before leaving at 8 AM. I never ate "store-bought bread" until I went to college. When I was cheffing and getting home at 1AM I would sit down at my dining room table and have a piece of fish, a salad and a glass of wine like a civilized person. Every once in a while MH says, "let's get a pizza for dinner". I just cringe. So to answer your question, no, meatloaf is not dead!

Not dead for yours truly. I am making two right now. One for Roz because she likes hers super well done (burn't) where Mamaw Smith and myself just like it almost done. I add onions, spices, garlic, jalapeno and bell peppers, salt, pepper, dry chicken stuffing half burger and half sausage and tomato paste. Green beans with smoked hog jowl and onions, real mash potatoes, croissants and meatloaf gravy.

felix4067I actually am not missing the point, unless by repeatedly posting that most women I know who have children are stay-at-home moms who cook, and those who work also cook, I am missing your point. Rarely does anyone I know use a boxed dinner, or fast food (most of them use fast food as a treat, or something their kids get for a special occasion). Most of the time, meals are cooked at home, from scratch, and everyone sits down to eat together without a TV or phones, talking to one another. I'm not sure who "we" is, exactly, but family values such as eating real food together as a family are not lost in my circle.

Felix, I'm glad your part of the world is still intact. Unfortunately other parts of our country are not experiencing the life styles of you and your neighbors. Just one of many examples- I recently was in a restaurant and saw a Mother, Father and 4 kids ranging between 7 and maybe 18 at a table---All of them with their heads down and texting someone. Now that's togetherness!

I worked full time but was still able to put a good dinner on the table every night by doing about a two hour cook-a-thon sometime during the weekend. The kids would help and we'd make some stews and soups that could be heated up during the week and also items like pasta sauce with meatballs or mixing up a meatloaf on Sunday to pop in the oven on Monday or Tuesday.

Both of our daughters turned out to be excellent and thrifty cooks and know how to maximize their time in the kitchen.

Porkbeaks,, they're roasted potatoes that I bake at the same time and temp as the meat loaf. They're peeled, halved if big ones, and sliced about a half inch from the bottom in a diamond pattern. (I put a chopstick on either side so it stops the knife from going all the way through.). Put in a baking dish, drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with seasoned salt and garlic powder. The outside gets sort of crispy and the inside is soft.